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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!
Today I want to share a different blog post. Today I want to tell you there are no presents under our tree, there are no gifts I bought I made a few small things. Today I am very thankful that I Do feel joy and goodwill.

We have been trying to refi our house since September, and were told we would be able to skip the November and December payments. So we paid all our over due bills Y'all know how that is, in November and I planned for what I hoped was a wonderful Christmas full of gifts for everyone. Well that didn't happen we had to scramble to make our November payment as our previous lender messed up or paper work not once but twice. We signed a total of three times before all of this was said and done. As of yesterday the payoff on our house had posted and we were still getting calls from the previous lender wanting to know why we hadn't made our house payment.. Ah yeah the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing thing..lol.

To top it off our car we purchased earlier in the year had yet another hiccup. That car was supposed to take care of our car problems for a while and yet it has spent more time in the shop than we care to admit. We do have another car, a very old Ranchero that after so many years is showing it wear. It has been in the shop itself for several weeks as the J brake broke and this car has a habit, all be it a familiar one to this year of going into reverse by itself thus we need that brake and oh did I mention something broke in the handle and he had to hold the door closed so we could get it to the shop.

I called my friend from church and she took us together to church last night for our Christmas gift of song to our community. Today we will have dinner with our daughter and her family and they will have to come get us to go but with God all things are possible.

I know all this sounds really crazy and how can I still be happy? One Name Jesus. You see he said in his word that things like this Would happen and yeppers they sure do. Crazy stuff. Marks mom had a huge health scare this year. So how can I be truly joyful? sounds corny but it is true I have HOPE in Jesus. I know that this world is going to be tough for me He said so. So when it does surprise me It really shouldn't. I am caught off guard like the rest of you cuz guess what I am human. I react in a way that I shouldn't but then I do need to express my discouragement because that is also good. That gives my friends and loved ones that chance to come along side me as the bible says and hold be up or pick me back up. So yes I am so thankful today and truly happy.
In the bible is says that Mary kept all these things in her heart. I often feel like Mary. I ponder and keep these things that I hold so truly dear in my heart. Oh I have my Martha moments too when I am freaking out and making a scene because I am not getting any help or I am fussing because there are no presents for anyone. Then I come to my senses thank God for that as well and I settle down and stop stressing myself out because I have no gifts for everyone, or the house isn't clean and I have company coming, or I had no sleep and I am just plan grouchy. My gift to you today is cut yourself some slack!!!! We are all going to mess up and have bad days and behave in a manner we don't want. We are all going through or have been through hard financial times. Knowing that should comfort you some, as those who love you know and understand that what you need cannot be bought at a store, no it comes in the form of a gift of a baby. It is love in the purest form... that we can share with one another. Our love for one another and we can share our love for one another because God shared it with us first. Blessings to all of you this day and everyday. My love I give to you in the form of hope. I hope in God. Merry Christmas everyone! Blessings Sharalyn

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Merry Christmas Early!
Let me share with you the story of my special present for my Pastor. I will tell you how this came about. I was showing my girl friends at church the owl I made for my mom and pastor Tom was standing there and said that the VW bus I made for Pastor Daniel was REALLY cool. Yep that is when I heard it.. that quiet I really would like to have one voice. I know he didn't ever intend to come across that way because that is the way he is but I heard it. I started planning right then and there. I pulled my pastors wife aside on Sunday and asked her what Pastor Tom likes to do besides share God with everyone. The answer? Camping they love to camp.

I started with the lantern from Camp Smore SVG Kit, as I knew I would have to make it small and that it would cause some good pain in my hands and arms. I wanted to give myself a few days to recover if it was really bad. Well I ended up making two one even smaller than the first. I have Tweezer Bee reverse tweezers that help with making this a lot. If you try this, take your time glue a portion then set it down and glue something else for the lamp, most important don't rush it! Ice was very much my friend last night. Today I finished the lantern by adding perfect pearls in red to make it look like tiny brads.

On to the Camper Bus from Surf Shack SVG Kit, I started with the German Bus. I cut the bottom at the size it imports. I did the same for the top but made a small rectangle square and put it in the center of the top cover. To make the side pieces I duplicated the rectangle and used it to size the side pieces and added flaps and score lines for to make the box part of it. I added smaller rectangles to the side pieces fore windows then added vellum to cover them. I took the center piece of the bus top and shrunk it way down.. hey I was really cooking on that shrinking part, lol. I glued the top piece onto the pop-up after I had scored the edges a bit. I cut extra hooks from the top of the tiny lantern to make the holders for the metal side pieces for the bus and the "luggage rack". The wire I used to make the rack and the metal part on the pop up came from Walmart in the jewelry making section. I bent the wires first then slipped the loops on them and carefully glued them into place. When I got this crazy idea to make this I looked on the internet for a picture of a VW Camper. That is when I saw some with luggage racks and some with the parking lights on the front. I liked them so I added them. I used my Epiphany Crafts tools 14 and 25 round resigns to make the headlights and the wheel and peace sign covers.
I used my Silhouette Sketch pens to add the words to the side panels. I added enamel dots to the bumper to give the attached rivet look. The Windshield wipers are the handles from the tiny lantern. I cut thin black strips of paper for the rubber part of the wipers and glued them into the top folds of the handles. I went outside and got a stick from the yard for the fishing pole and tied Stampin up linen thread to the stick. I had formed a hook using another kind of wire I had. The "bed roll" is just some fleece I had that I tied with the linen thread and then tied it to the luggage rack.
That is how I made this camping VW Bus for my Pastor and I can hardly wait to give it to him. I reeealllly hope he likes it. Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting with me. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Happy Crafting! Blessings Sharalyn

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Christmas is definitely in the air! Today we are supposed to get snow and I am hoping we do! Some that will stick as we haven't had any like that in 7 yrs. Our tree has the lights on but I haven't gotten any farther with it. I need to finish 7 cards today so I need to make this as short as possible.
I had started the church quite a while ago but didn't like the colors I had made the tower so I tore if off and threw it away and there it sat for a while.
The church is from the Silent Night SVG kit from SVG cuts. I did add a brad and slide to the back flaps to keep the back closed. That helped me a lot. Anyway I used Carta Bella's paper collection called So THIS is Christmas. I had never used Carta Bella's paper before and it is JUST like Mary said. High Quality for sure!!!!! I will be using it again in the future! I made the church as instructed and added embossed Snowflakes to the window Vellum before I put them in. Then I decorated the church using Memory Box and Poppy Stamp dies. I will include the dies list at the bottom of this post. The bell was from my friends Stash she had and it was perfect for the church. I added fake snow with hot glue and gemstones to add some glitz. The top I used Stampin Up's heat and stick then used my favorite glitter, Art Glitter Crystal. It is a translucent glitter and really really really pretty on anything you put it on.
So that is my church sorry this is so short but I do hope once I get more of my projects done that I am getting paid for I can post more soon. Thanks for stopping by and visiting me.. I am sorry I have been MIA. Blessing to you all this holiday season!!!

On a side note I had commented on a Scrapbooking Made Simple post and guess what? I won.. scared the snot out of hubby as I screamed but today it came and I couldn't be more excited to use it. I won a Sizzix Stephine Barnard Fancy Flip-its Die. It looks a bit intimidating but I know I can get it. Maybe it will help with my own not started yet Christmas cards LOL . Thanks again. Blessing to you all this holiday season! Blessings Sharalyn